Davis mom will face murder charges in trial

Davis resident Aquelin Talamantes will continue to face charges in the death of her 5-year-old daughter.

At a preliminary hearing on Friday, Yolo County Superior Court Judge David Reed ruled that there is sufficient evidence to continue the proceedings and try Talamantes for the September murder of Tatiana Garcia.

Reed heard testimony from Davis and Sacramento law enforcement who were involved with the investigation or were at the scene when Tatiana was pulled from the trunk of her mother's car at an apartment complex in Sacramento.

Sacramento Police Officer Ethan Zeek was the first to arrive on the scene at the Pocket Road apartment on Sept. 26. Tears began to well up in his eyes when he described finding the body of Garcia, which was gray and damp.

"She didn't have the vibrant color," Zeek said.

Garcia had been wrapped in blankets and put into a plastic trash bag in the trunk.

Zeek apologized for becoming emotional, stating that he has a daughter about the same age.

"I thought for a moment she was still alive," he said. At that point Zeek performed CPR on the girl until he was joined by a neighbor who said he was a paramedic and continued to perform chest compressions without any success.

According to the Sacramento County Coroner, Garcia died as a result of drowning, which allegedly occurred in the Davis home of Talamantes' sister. Detective Scott MacLafferty was asked during his testimony if Talamantes' sisters have expressed any concerns about her taking care of Garcia and her 4-year-old brother.

MacLafferty answered yes and stated that in interviews, the two sisters had expressed concern with Talamantes' mental state. MacLafferty was told that Talamantes struggled with psychosis, schizophrenia, paranoia and possibly bipolar disorder.

There had even been talk of one of the sisters taking custody of Talamantes' son, MacLafferty said.

After hearing the testimony, Reed ruled that there is sufficient evidence to charge Talamantes with murder and scheduled an arraignment date for Friday, Jan. 24, at 9 a.m. in Department 6 of the Yolo County Courthouse.